© Sucesión Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Madrid 2024
Jaume Sabartés Gual, born in Barcelona on June 10, 1881, was a key figure in the life of Pablo Picasso and a prominent writer, journalist and art critic. His relationship with Picasso began in 1899, when they were introduced by a mutual friend, the young artist Mateo Fernández de Soto. From then on, Sabartés became a staunch supporter and friend of the Malaga-born artist, witnessing and sharing many of the artist's experiences during his formative years.
Sabartés, trained at the art school of La Llotja (Barcelona) in an atmosphere of artistic and literary modernism, initially devoted himself to sculpture and poetry. However, his encounter with Picasso led him down a different path, becoming a devoted advocate of the painter's art. During their youth, they shared the bohemian life of Paris and Barcelona, where they lived moments of intense creativity and artistic exploration in the cultural environment of the city. During this period, Picasso portrayed Sabartés on several occasions in canvases such as Decadent Poet (1900) and Blue Portrait of Jaume Sabartés (1901).
However, in 1904, Sabartés decided to cross the Atlantic and settle in Guatemala for 23 years. During this time, he developed a career in the artistic and cultural field as a journalist, writer and art critic.
Correspondence between Sabartés and Picasso during this period attests to their friendship despite the distance. In 1935, Picasso invited Sabartés to return to Europe, settling in Paris as his personal secretary and principal biographer. Sabartés played a pivotal role in the artist's life during his final years and wrote several works on Picasso's life and work, including Picasso in His Work (1936) and Picasso, Portraits and Memories (1946).
The close relationship between Sabartés and Picasso continued until Sabartés' death on February 13, 1968 in Paris. In his honor, Picasso donated the Las Meninas series (1957) to the Museu Picasso in Barcelona and donated some of his etchings to the museum with the moving posthumous dedication "Pour Sabartés".
Sources:
Museu Picasso Barcelona:
https://museupicassobcn.cat/picasso-i-barcelona/la-relacio-de-picasso-amb-sabartes
Museu Picasso Barcelona:
https://museupicassobcn.cat/es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/las-meninas-9